I MISSED YOU DESI!!!!
The subject of this entry basically describes the only bad part about this last week while I was at Peer Ministry camp. If you don't know what that is, it's basically Peer Mediation (STEPS) only involving your faith and stuff. The guy who was training us was really cool and I learned a lot in terms of listening to people. I get accused of lecturing a lot so what I got from this camp will allow me to help without having to lecture =D!
There were a TON of inside jokes with my friends at camp, and I really doubt I'll be able to remember all of them.
Let's start with Sunday: I packed and left for camp at about 2:30 and got there around 3:30. It's called Lee Valley Ranch and is close to Custer and other camps like Atlantic Mountain. Anyway, I got there and met Pastor Dwight and the owner and then was led to my tent. As I got closer I heard a loud "KYLE!!" and was quickly overtaken my Taylor, soon follow by Mari. I picked out what tent I wanted and then waited around as Justin, Danielle, and Corey arrived. We later met the other campers, councilors (ranch hands), and staff and had dinner. Afterwards we played volley ball with a whole punch of people and people started questioning why I made so much noise when I hit the ball. We later had a session and campfire and hot drinks and then bed.
Monday: Monday was mostly sessioning. I'm not going to go into detail about it but basically we learned quite about how to listen to people, help them open up, and find ways of helping them without turning it into a huge deal, or lecturing, or anything that would prevent you from shutting someone out. It's hard to explain, but I learned some great techniques, some that are really simple that I had never though of before. Also this surrounds God, and what a powerful feeling you can get by asking for his help. I dunno, if you want a better explanation I'll talk to you personally.
Tuesday: We had sessions and then it was time for Crazy Horse. We Rapid City people have of course been there several times, but it's nice to go there every once in a while. One thing we were suppose to try and do while we were there was to WHEAT (Where? Hobbies? Events? Activities? Travel?) someone. I didn't know how I'd feel sitting down next to someone and start asking them a whole bunch of questions, but it turned out a lot easier than expected. There's this Arrowhead Lake in Crazy Horse and people had dropped a ton of coins into it like a wishing well. Justin would just not believe that those were coins down there and thought for some reason that there were fish or rocks or something so I asked a bunch of random people if those were coins. All of them said they were and thanks to Justin's poor vision I met some strangers.
Wednesday: More sessioning, but we did this maze thing that we had to go through blind folded. Everyone started talking when we got in, helping each other and going in pairs or more trying to find the way out. Suddenly, everyone was quite and I didn't know why. Then I realized that once you were out you couldn't talk..so Taylor and I were the only ones left in the maze. Tay wanted to know where I was so we could find a way out together so I yell "I'm the one jumping over here!" and she yelled back "I CAN'T SEE YOU RETARD!" We tried finding away out together, but then I made the horrible mistake of getting farther ahead of Tay. I called back and no one answer...I WAS ALONE! I pointed out of the maze where I heard laughing and said angrily "They're all laughing at me!", which I later found out was right in front of the camera for the promotional video for the camp. Lol..Then that night we went to the lighting ceremony at Mt. Rushmore. We got icecream, moped around the gift shop. I bought a ring, but I think I lost it. While in the icecream parlor place Justin came up with the great idea of calling Desi to have her meet us at Harey Peak the next day. I tried, she wasn't home so I left a message. We went down to the auditorium and listened to a chief fireman from New York talking about what it was like during 9/11. Then we had the normal video, during which I spilt icecream on my sweatshirt. That night I was in the BIGGEST MOTHER FUCKING THUNDERSTORM I'VE EVER BEEN IN. The thunder was like jets flying right over me, dynamite blasting right about my tent, and any other VERY loud thing put together. Coupled with pouring rain it was incredibly intence. I was in this dinky little tent and the thunder and lightning lit everything up. Wow...thinking back on it it was amazing despite being annoying and loud and crazy and scary.
Thursday: Everything was all gloomy because of the storm. The original plan for this final day was to go hike Hareny Peak. Only my group still wanted to do it. Other people went to the caves or into Rapid. Harney was awesome, though. It was perfect hiking weather - not extremely hot, cool (had to wear long pants and a sweatshirt) but it made it very comfortable. At the very top it was so cool because we went away from the castle thing and onto this higher rocks and we were quickly surrounded by haze and couldn't see anything around us. Someone made the comment when it started to clear like "What if it's 10 years into the future!" and Taylor said "Well if it is, Justin will still be a virgin!" which was really funny, but Taylor was picking on him the whole hike. They had a fight with raisens and M&Ms. That night we all stayed up all night playing cards. Well, it started out as cards but turned into a "Question" game, which was thought up by our newest friend from Minnesota - Kelly. It got pretty deep, but no one seemed to care since we were all very tired and when you're really tired you can blab and almost everything seems funny. Eventually everyone went to their tents except for Justin, Taylor, and myself. We all decided to move to a comfortable tent so we all went to Justin's, who had a HUGE air mattress. We talked a little (had some funny inside jokes that I can't say, or can't remember) and then without warning we all fell asleep.
I'll finish the rest of the week/weekend tomorrow or later tonight.
There were a TON of inside jokes with my friends at camp, and I really doubt I'll be able to remember all of them.
Let's start with Sunday: I packed and left for camp at about 2:30 and got there around 3:30. It's called Lee Valley Ranch and is close to Custer and other camps like Atlantic Mountain. Anyway, I got there and met Pastor Dwight and the owner and then was led to my tent. As I got closer I heard a loud "KYLE!!" and was quickly overtaken my Taylor, soon follow by Mari. I picked out what tent I wanted and then waited around as Justin, Danielle, and Corey arrived. We later met the other campers, councilors (ranch hands), and staff and had dinner. Afterwards we played volley ball with a whole punch of people and people started questioning why I made so much noise when I hit the ball. We later had a session and campfire and hot drinks and then bed.
Monday: Monday was mostly sessioning. I'm not going to go into detail about it but basically we learned quite about how to listen to people, help them open up, and find ways of helping them without turning it into a huge deal, or lecturing, or anything that would prevent you from shutting someone out. It's hard to explain, but I learned some great techniques, some that are really simple that I had never though of before. Also this surrounds God, and what a powerful feeling you can get by asking for his help. I dunno, if you want a better explanation I'll talk to you personally.
Tuesday: We had sessions and then it was time for Crazy Horse. We Rapid City people have of course been there several times, but it's nice to go there every once in a while. One thing we were suppose to try and do while we were there was to WHEAT (Where? Hobbies? Events? Activities? Travel?) someone. I didn't know how I'd feel sitting down next to someone and start asking them a whole bunch of questions, but it turned out a lot easier than expected. There's this Arrowhead Lake in Crazy Horse and people had dropped a ton of coins into it like a wishing well. Justin would just not believe that those were coins down there and thought for some reason that there were fish or rocks or something so I asked a bunch of random people if those were coins. All of them said they were and thanks to Justin's poor vision I met some strangers.
Wednesday: More sessioning, but we did this maze thing that we had to go through blind folded. Everyone started talking when we got in, helping each other and going in pairs or more trying to find the way out. Suddenly, everyone was quite and I didn't know why. Then I realized that once you were out you couldn't talk..so Taylor and I were the only ones left in the maze. Tay wanted to know where I was so we could find a way out together so I yell "I'm the one jumping over here!" and she yelled back "I CAN'T SEE YOU RETARD!" We tried finding away out together, but then I made the horrible mistake of getting farther ahead of Tay. I called back and no one answer...I WAS ALONE! I pointed out of the maze where I heard laughing and said angrily "They're all laughing at me!", which I later found out was right in front of the camera for the promotional video for the camp. Lol..Then that night we went to the lighting ceremony at Mt. Rushmore. We got icecream, moped around the gift shop. I bought a ring, but I think I lost it. While in the icecream parlor place Justin came up with the great idea of calling Desi to have her meet us at Harey Peak the next day. I tried, she wasn't home so I left a message. We went down to the auditorium and listened to a chief fireman from New York talking about what it was like during 9/11. Then we had the normal video, during which I spilt icecream on my sweatshirt. That night I was in the BIGGEST MOTHER FUCKING THUNDERSTORM I'VE EVER BEEN IN. The thunder was like jets flying right over me, dynamite blasting right about my tent, and any other VERY loud thing put together. Coupled with pouring rain it was incredibly intence. I was in this dinky little tent and the thunder and lightning lit everything up. Wow...thinking back on it it was amazing despite being annoying and loud and crazy and scary.
Thursday: Everything was all gloomy because of the storm. The original plan for this final day was to go hike Hareny Peak. Only my group still wanted to do it. Other people went to the caves or into Rapid. Harney was awesome, though. It was perfect hiking weather - not extremely hot, cool (had to wear long pants and a sweatshirt) but it made it very comfortable. At the very top it was so cool because we went away from the castle thing and onto this higher rocks and we were quickly surrounded by haze and couldn't see anything around us. Someone made the comment when it started to clear like "What if it's 10 years into the future!" and Taylor said "Well if it is, Justin will still be a virgin!" which was really funny, but Taylor was picking on him the whole hike. They had a fight with raisens and M&Ms. That night we all stayed up all night playing cards. Well, it started out as cards but turned into a "Question" game, which was thought up by our newest friend from Minnesota - Kelly. It got pretty deep, but no one seemed to care since we were all very tired and when you're really tired you can blab and almost everything seems funny. Eventually everyone went to their tents except for Justin, Taylor, and myself. We all decided to move to a comfortable tent so we all went to Justin's, who had a HUGE air mattress. We talked a little (had some funny inside jokes that I can't say, or can't remember) and then without warning we all fell asleep.
I'll finish the rest of the week/weekend tomorrow or later tonight.